Age-specific patterns and molecular subtypes of breast cancer in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan
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Abstract
Objective: To estimate age-specific incidence patterns and trends in breast cancer molecular subtypes in a local hospital-based population.
Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital, Islamabad, from August 2022 to August 2024. One hundred women aged ≥20 years with biopsy-proven breast cancer were included through convenience sampling. Male patients, lobular carcinoma, phyllodes tumors, sarcoma/lymphoma, and cases with missing age data were excluded. Demographic, clinical, pathological, and treatment data were extracted from hospital records. Tumors were classified into luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-enriched, and triple-negative subtypes using immunohistochemistry and Fluorescence in situ hybridization where required. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v25. Chi-square test assessed associations between age groups and tumor subtypes, while linear regression estimated age-related incidence trends.
Results: Mean age was 50.5±12.0 years (range: 20–75). Breast cancer occurred in 47% of women aged ≤50 years and 53% in those >50 years. Luminal A was the most frequent subtype (55%), followed by triple-negative (25%), luminal B (15%), and HER2-enriched tumors (5%). Hormone receptor status showed no significant association with age (p>0.05). A significant association was observed between age groups and molecular subtypes (p=0.043), driven primarily by the luminal A subtype after Bonferroni correction. Age was not an independent predictor of breast cancer on regression analysis.
Conclusion: Nearly half of breast cancer cases occurred in women aged ≤50 years. Luminal A was the predominant subtype and showed significant age-related variation, emphasizing the need for age-stratified screening and subtype-focused management strategies.
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